Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology最新文献

Introduction: This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to compare the clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes associated with specialized and standard nutritional formulas for the treatment of mild-to-moderate pediatric Crohn's disease.

Methods: Search strategies were applied across MEDLINE, Cochrane and Web of Science (January 2000-October 2023) and recent congress proceedings (January 2021-October 2023). PRISMA-P guidelines were followed. Quality assessment evaluated risk of bias.

Results: Twenty-three unique studies met the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies (754 patients) evaluated specialized formula, 10 assessed standard formula (246 patients). Mucosal healing (7 studies), induction (20 studies) and maintenance of remission (9 studies) were reported over various timeframes. High proportions of patients who received specialized formula achieved mucosal healing (63-89% 8 weeks; 25-74% 10 weeks), and remission (50-100% 8 weeks). Specialized formula sustained remission (34-62.5% 6 months and 24-87.5% 1 year). Results were not directly comparable with standard formula due to significant heterogeneity in study methodology, patient populations, and remission definition.

Conclusions: The evidence predominantly supports the benefits of specialized formula in inducing mucosal healing, remission, and sustaining positive outcomes across multiple timepoints. Direct comparison of nutritional interventions is required to further support the findings of this SLR.Protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42023472370.

Introduction: The management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has evolved substantially over the past decade, with the emergence of new advanced therapies presenting unprecedented challenges in clinical decision-making. While these therapies provide patients with more opportunities to get better, biomarkers to guide their use remain elusive.

Areas covered: This article highlights the challenges associated with biomarker discovery, interpretation, and application in IBD - based on literature review, first-hand experience of biomarker discovery, and personal opinion. We highlight problems including the misinterpretation of predictive capabilities, lack of independent validation, and reverse causation in retrospective studies, and explain why associations with clinical parameters or seropositivity to microbial antigens often fail to meet the rigorous performance metrics required for clinical utility. The relative need for different biomarkers is also discussed - particularly in light of recent evidence from the PROFILE trial, which emphasizes the considerably greater risk posed by uncontrolled disease than by the potential side-effects of medications.

Expert opinion: Despite multiple challenges, the potential of biomarkers for precision medicine in IBD remains promising, particularly in combination with other clinical and biochemical parameters. Further research into combinatorial biomarker approaches is needed, but must be combined with learning how to communicate results that are inherently uncertain.

Background: We assessed the use of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-3.5 and Gemini against human experts as sources of patient information.

Research design and methods: We compared the accuracy, completeness and quality of freely accessible, baseline, general-purpose LLM-generated responses to 20 frequently asked questions (FAQs) on liver disease, with those from two gastroenterologists, using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Three independent gastroenterologists blindly rated each response.

Results: The expert and AI-generated responses displayed high mean scores across all domains, with no statistical difference between the groups for accuracy [H(2) = 0.421, p = 0.811], completeness [H(2) = 3.146, p = 0.207], or quality [H(2) = 3.350, p = 0.187]. We found no statistical difference between rank totals in accuracy [H(2) = 5.559, p = 0.062], completeness [H(2) = 0.104, p = 0.949], or quality [H(2) = 0.420, p = 0.810] between the three raters (R1, R2, R3).

Conclusion: Our findings outline the potential of freely accessible, baseline, general-purpose LLMs in providing reliable answers to FAQs on liver disease.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major global health concern, as it is the most common primary liver cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality.

Areas covered: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly shifted the treatment paradigm, offering promising survival outcomes. However, the controlled conditions of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) often fail to reflect real-world complexities, emphasizing the necessity for strong real-world evidence (RWE). RWE, in most cases derived from observational studies, provides critical insights into the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of systemic therapies across diverse populations and settings. The authors searched MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and Scopus for full-text published articles in any language from the inception to 30 June 2024.This review evaluates RWE on systemic therapies for advanced HCC, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like sorafenib and lenvatinib, ICIs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, and combination therapies like atezolizumab/bevacizumab and durvalumab/tremelimumab.

Expert opinion: Studies reveal discrepancies in treatment efficacy and adverse event profiles between RCTs and routine clinical practice, underscoring the need for individualized treatment strategies. RWE highlights the influence of liver disease etiology, liver function, and tumor burden on treatment outcomes, guiding therapy selection.

Introduction: Transition of care (TOC) is a process that must be planned and executed in a coordinated manner factoring patient, family, disease, and healthcare system. Among youth with gastrointestinal hereditary polyposis syndromes (HPS), poorly planned TOC can have devastating consequences from poor engagement in necessary medical care. This results in increased risk of cancer and related mortality. This review aims to emphasize unique aspects of HPS relevant to TOC, related barriers/challenges, and outline current best practice recommendations.

Areas covered: A review was undertaken of transition-focused practice guidelines among youth with chronic conditions, as well as literature from major pediatric gastroenterology societies on the ideal approach for managing polyposis syndromes. Literature from PubMed and Medline, including conference abstracts and proceedings, was reviewed and in the absence of empirically supported evidence, recommendations reflect the opinion of the author experts involved in the care of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with HPS.

Expert opinion: Effective TOC requires a structured, patient-centered, individualized process that includes early engagement, incremental education, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Given the unique aspects of HPS, including complex psychosocial and medical needs, there is urgent need for research toward evidence-based strategies enhancing continuity, and mitigating socio-cultural and financial barriers to care.

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic condition characterized by abnormal immune responses and intestinal inflammation. Emerging evidence highlights the vital role of gut microbiota in IBD's onset and progression. Recent advances have shaped diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, increasingly focusing on microbiome-based personalized care. Methodology: this review covers studies from 2004 to 2024, reflecting the surge in research on luminal microbial ecology in IBD. Human studies were prioritized, with select animal studies included for mechanistic insights. Only English-language, peer-reviewed articles - clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses - were considered. Studies without clinical validation were excluded unless offering essential insights. Searches were conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Areas covered: we explore mechanisms for managing IBD-related microbiota, including microbial markers for diagnosis and novel therapies such as fecal microbiota transplantation, metabolite-based treatments, and precision microbiome modulation. Additionally, we review technologies and diagnostic tools used to analyze gut microbiota composition and function in clinical settings. Emerging data supporting personalized therapeutic strategies based on individual microbial profiles are discussed.

Expert opinion: Standardized microbiome research integration into clinical practice will enhance precision in IBD care, signaling a shift toward microbiota-based personalized medicine.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major global health challenge, with functional cure achieved in only a small subset of patients. Current oral antiviral agents effectively suppress viral replication but fail to eliminate the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Recent advances in immunomodulatory therapies offer new hope for improving functional cure rates.

Areas covered: This special report discusses the latest therapeutic strategies targeting immune responses in CHB. We list the mechanisms of immune evasion in HBV infection and highlight emerging immunomodulatory agents. Key findings from recent clinical trials and critical considerations are summarized to provide an overview of ongoing efforts and future direction to achieve functional cure.

Expert opinion: While combination therapies hold promise, their real-world feasibility depends on patient selection, combination regimens, costs, and global accessibility. A successful HBV cure strategy must integrate scientific innovation with public health policies to ensure equitable access to effective treatments. Future research should identify key immune mechanisms, optimize combination regimens, and improve global treatment infrastructure.

Introduction: Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. End-stage liver disease (ESLD) causes a rapid and progressive decline in health and quality of life (QOL) and creates significant suffering and burdens for patients, families, and health systems alike. These patients have significant physical, psychological, and complex social needs that benefit from the support of an interdisciplinary palliative care (PC) team.

Areas covered: This review of the English literature analyzes general palliative care principles for the CLD and ESLD populations including factors affecting QOL and review of symptom management per AASLD and AGA Guidelines. We have also reviewed the impacts of palliative support on QOL, caregiver burden, and healthcare-related outcomes.

Expert opinion: ESLD causes significant suffering and burdens for patients, families, and healthcare systems. PC is an essential component of ESLD care; it improves QOL, reduces caregiver burdens, and shows benefits of reduced healthcare costs and aggressive care at end of life. Provider and community misunderstanding or inexperience of PC is often a barrier to PC involvement. There is a clear lack of standardization in medical training and lack of clear guidelines on when to involve PC in the ESLD population that must be addressed.

Background: Using common clinical parameters, we aimed to noninvasively identify and predict metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)/MASH with clinically significant fibrosis.

Research design and methods: Patients aged ≥18 with electronic health record (EHR) documented liver function tests and liver biopsies between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively identified from the Geisinger Health System Research Liver Registry. MASH cases were confirmed using the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score. Training and validation datasets were used to create an algorithm/predictive model assessing EHR-derived predictors of MASH/MASH with clinically significant fibrosis (fibrosis stage F2-F4). Predictive accuracy was evaluated using the area under the curve.

Results: The analysis included 2698 patients. We created a composite likelihood score using variables significant for MASH and/or MASH with clinically significant fibrosis: liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST]), prior year AST, metabolic disease, pulse (heart rate), and body mass index. The score had higher sensitivity and specificity for predicting MASH than Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index, AST to platelet ratio index (APRI), and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS); sensitivity and specificity were comparable to FIB-4 and APRI for predicting MASH with clinically significant fibrosis but superior to NFS.

Conclusion: The composite likelihood score could potentially be a tool for early MASH screening.